BFI sets $16m cash prize to fund new UK-wide film education strategy
The BFI has today announced that it will hand over $16m (£14m) of National Lottery ‘Good Cause’ funding over three years to improve film education for 5-18 year olds across the UK.
Cash prizes will be awarded to two UK-wide partners to deliver three targeted initiatives: BFI National Lottery Teaching with Film, BFI National Lottery Young Creatives, and BFI National Lottery Careers and Progression.
Into Film, receiving $15m (£12.4m) over three years will operate across three programmes, and the National Saturday Club will receive $1.8 (£1.5m) over the same period to collaborate with Into Film to deliver Young Creative.
The BFI said the $6m (£5m) award for Teaching with Film will change the strategic focus for film education charity Into Film, as it prioritizes introducing film education as a learning tool to be used throughout schools. Curriculum
Meanwhile, the $7m (£6m) Careers and Progression Program will aim to provide and strengthen access to specialist careers information, guidance and advice for 11-18-year-olds on entering the screen sector.
The BFI said today’s cash prizes were informed by industry and public consultation when formulating its National Lottery Strategy 2023-2033. The fund award will be effective from April.
“Screen culture has a unique power to support learning and broaden horizons, so we’re focused on extending our reach to even more children and young people,” said Leigh Adams, BFI Director of Education and Learning.
“The funding announced today will see us connect with more schools to ensure teachers, educators and careers professionals can bring screen culture into the classroom as a powerful tool to support learning across the curriculum and open doors to a range of career opportunities. We are looking to engage with the wider community, and open up direct links between schools and further and higher education courses. Together with our partners, we want to help instill a passion for screen culture in future film fans and cinemagoers as well as potential festival programmers, costume and set designers, VFX supervisors and many other roles offered within our dynamic sector.”
Last week, the BFI announced $18m in cash awards to 11 UK partner organizations as the first funding award of its new 10-year National Lottery strategy.
